After a number of critically and commercially successful films in the South, Chawla starred in her first Bollywood film, Tere Naam (2003), alongside Salman Khan. The film was one of the year's highest grossers. It was a critical success and her performance in the film won her many positive notices as well as several nominations for Best Debut at different award ceremonies. She was nominated for her first Filmfare Best Actress Award and won the Best Debut trophy at the Zee Cine Awards ceremony.[3]

Bhumika Chawla married her long-time boyfriend and Yoga teacher Bharat Thakur on 21 October 2007 at Devlali, Nashik in a Gurdwara.[5] She went regularly to Thakur's courses and is said to have dated him for four years, before eventually marrying him.[6] The couple have a son born in February 2014.[7][8]